How to CLA a rolleiflex camera

[davidseminatorephoto]

Anyone know where I can find a video or book with instruction on how to CLA a Rolleiflex 3.5. I have looked thru Youtube and nothing which i find it hard to believe. I cant believe know one has made a how to video on this. I cant even find a good manual on how to service one. Before you think I am crazy I am fairly capable. I also have a broken Rollei that I want to use to practice on. Maybe even fix. It is not worth having repaired I paid almost nothing for it so I am not working on a $5000 camera to learn. I would like to see if its something I can do before i try it on my Rolleiflex that I shoot with.

Anyone know of a video or instruction on how to adjust the shooting lens to the viewing lens ? anyone who has done this that can add a few tips would be great.

David

 

[WHof]

You might want to join the Rolleiflex TLR group and throw it out to them

 

[Paul in Arizona]

As a fun project --- fine.
If this was any of the cheap Japanese knockoff TLRs it would be worth trying.
But any Rolleiflex you paid almost nothing for will be worth the investment of a few dollars for a professional CLA.

 

[ic-racer]

Do you have the service manual? There is some info there. What is wrong with the camera, sticky shutter? If so there is a Compur service manual out there and info on the web: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/classics/forum/messages/13061/10781.html?1195688361

 

[shutterfinger]

This is where a search engine and access to the internet are your friend, you obviously have the second one of the two.
Google-Rolleiflex Service Manual- 4th hit http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/repairmanuals.html , covers all but the early ones.
Google-Compur Service Manual-1st hit, 1st link in the resulting page- http://benoit.suaudeau.perso.neuf.fr/manuels_rep/obturateurs/Compur-shutter-repair-manual.html

The Rolleiflex manual looks best at 200%. I have serviced some Compur/Compur Rapid shutters by using the diagrams for two of the shutters in the manual when there was no exact match. The differences between many of the shutters is not that great. The mounting in the Rolleiflex/Rolleicord will be the major obstacle if your exact model is not shown in that manual.

Use a digital point and shoot with a macro mode and take pictures of each assembly as you remove the parts. I sometimes wish I had taken two pictures for each part removed from different angles but 1 is better than none.

A trace amount of oil or grease is all that is needed in a camera or shutter. I use white lithium grease where grease is called for in shutters and camera gears. I use TriFlow oil with teflon where oil is called for.

Have fun teaching yourself camera servicing.

 

[Dan Daniel]

When you say Rolleiflex 3.5, what lens? What model number? The Automat series and the C/D/E models are all pretty much the same. The F series changes a few different mechanisms, and the coupled metering adds some serious complexity.

On Ebay, 'neatphoto' sells overhaul manuals for Rolleiflex. Part of a camera repair course from the '70s, maybe? Very nice booklets. Search for Rolleiflex-
http://www.ebay.com/usr/neatphoto?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

If you search through the TLR forum and Repair forum on rangefinder forum you'll find lots of threads and such. Most are in response to specific problems, not general 'how to' guides. As an introduction, something I posted there while working on an MX-EVS-
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141717&highlight=rolleiflex

The reason that there isn't a video is that it would be about an hour long and unbelievably boring and uninformative. Exploded drawings, photographs, well-written technical explanations are much better at conveying such mechanisms and assemblies.

 

[davidseminatorephoto]

I first of I just wanted to do it myself, but what is wrong with my rollei is the focus is off a small amount. just a tiny bit but its the difference between soft and sharp especially up close. I was hoping to find instructions procedures on how to service this. I did find all the free diagrams ect but none of them specifically tell how to set the focus.

 

[baachitraka]

Hmm...good luck.

 

[desertrat]

If the focus is off a small amount, first you need to find out whether the finder focus is too short or too long. Taking an image of several cards marked with their distances (accurately measured) is a good first step. The cards should be set up so they are nearly in line with each other but at least part of each card is visible in the image, and the written distance on the card can be seen. If the finder focus is too short, you can try putting shims under the viewing screen or behind the viewing lens. If the finder focus is too long, you will need to find or make a shim to put behind the taking lens and shutter assembly.

 

[shutterfinger]

A lot of service manuals are company authorized service only or at least a camera repair shop available only. What is available to the general public is out of date product or out of business companies that someone has made available.
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Cut a piece of glass or clear plastic to fit the film plane as the film lies. Place strips of Scotch Magic Transparent tape across one side without overlapping them.
Put the camera on a sturdy tripod, lock the taking lens open on T or B, and open the camera back.
Point the camera toward an infinity target at least 5000 feet away, closer will cause errors.
Using a loupe hold the temporary ground glass against the film rails and focus the taking lens on the target.
Measure from the GG to the aperture/shutter blades. This distance should be roughly equal to the lens focal length.
Now loupe focus the viewing lens on the view opening focus screen/GG. The optical distance should be equal to the taking lens optical distance.
Now remeasure the taking lens position using the same points as was used in measuring it the first time.
The difference in the measurements is the amount the view lens view screen/GG has to move and the direction. Shorter than first measurement, raise the view screen or shim outward the view lens; longer than the first measurement lower the view screen or recess the view lens.

Now focus the taking lens on a test target 3 feet away, measure its distance, focus the view lens on the target and measure the taking lens distance again.

A difference of 1mm or less in lens focal length should be close enough to focus accurately without causing problems.

----
Now using the IPB adjust the focus mechanism to show the correct focused distance on the distance scale if it is incorrect.

As far as a CLA with only the IPB to go by just remove the covers, flush the mechanisms with an aerosol degreaser/cleaner that leaves no residue, put a pin point drop of light weight oil on pivots, a trace of grease on gear teeth, and a dab about the size of a small straight pin head where metal parts slide against one another then check smoothness of operation when done.
Use a digital P&S in macro mode and lake pictures of the assembled section and after each major part removal if disassembling to access internal parts.